Shavua Tov!!!! Wishing everyone a blessed and successful week!
In this week’s Torah portion “Eikev” (If you will hear). There is a Pasuk in (10:12) that says: “Yet now, Yisrael, what does Hashem, your G-d, request of you? Only to fear the Eternal, your G-d, to follow all His ways and to love Him, and to serve the Eternal your G-d, with your whole heart and your entire being…”
Yiraas Shamayim (fear of heaven) is a must in our service of G-d. Although it sounds very negative and like an imposition it really is the highest way of service. Let me explain, in the Tanya, the Alter Rebbe speaks of two levels of fear. The lower level of fear is the one that keeps us out of trouble. For example: the knowledge that if I put my hand in the fire will get me hurt, keeps me away from doing it. So any intelligent person knows that to every action there is a consequence. The question is “are we willing to pay for that outcome?”
The second and highest level of fear is to be afraid to do anything that will separate me from G-d. For example: if the child/parent relationship has a very strong bond and if for the child is very important to keep it that way, he or she will never do anything that will jeopardize the trust that has been given to him/her. If the parents go away on a trip, this child would never steal the car or throw a party without permission. This concept applies in the same way to our relationship with our Father in Heaven. If we do anything that goes against His will ( like eating shrimps,stealing, not giving Tzedaka,etc..) these will push us farther away from being close to Him. The Fear is to be far away from Him. Yiraas Shamayim in its highest form is to be aware of our actions and how they affect our relationship and closeness to Hashem.
Live a little higher
